1937 Sheffield Sterling Silver Sugar Caster
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
- Caster - Casters are so-called because they ?cast? their contents over food. They consist of a container, usually in silver or pewter with a removable perforated top which allows for the sprinkling of condiments such as sugar, pepper and nutmeg.
- Hallmarks - A mark stamped on articles of precious metals in Britain, since the 14th century, certifying their purity. It derives its name from the Guild Hall of the Goldsmiths' Company, who recieved its Charter in 1327 giving it the power to assay (test the purity) and mark articles of gold and silver.
The hallmark will consist of several marks, including the:
- silver standard mark, indicating the purity of the metal. Sterling silver is .925 pure silver.
- the city mark indicating the city in which it was assayed eg London, Birmingham, York etc.
- the date mark, usually a letter of the alphabet in a particular font and case,
- a duty mark, indicating whether duty had been paid to the crown, and only in use from 1784 to 1890
The piece may include an additional mark, the maker's mark, although not forming part of the hallmark, will be located in the vicinity of the hallmarks.
Sometimes silver plated items will bear faux hallmarks, often confusing those not familiar with silver markings. - Gadrooning - A series of lobes usually as a border. In furniture gadrooning is found as carved decoration around the edges of table tops in the Chippendale and Jacobean style furniture. Gadrooning is also found as decoration on the rims of silver and ceramics.
- Sterling Silver - Sterling silver is a mixture of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper. Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver, and is relatively soft and the addition of the very small amount of copper gives the metal enough strength and hardness to be worked into jewellery, decorative and household objects.
This item has been included into following indexes:
Visually similar items
A sterling silver Pillar pepper pot, 1989 Birmingham, with maker's mark for Elkington & Co, of traditional elongated pear shaped form with a waisted foot, having a pierced top and tiny finial, silver weight 90gr. Height 15 cm
A sterling silver sugar caster 1961/2 Sheffield, with maker's mark for Edward Viner. Of carinate form with a pierced dome lid with finial and raised on a stepped spreading base; crisply hallmarked to the body. Silver weight 142gr. Height 17.5 cm
A fine early George II sterling silver sugar caster, 1744 London, with maker's mark probably for Thomas Gilpin, of typical baluster form with a contemporary coat of arms to the body, a pierced dome lid with knopped finial and raised upon a stepped circular
A George III sterling silver pepper caster 1790 London, with maker's marks for Hester Bateman, with a narrow pierced dome upon a tapered and compressed lower section to a pedestal base; hallmarked to the upper body. Silver weight 84gr. Height 14.5 cm